What is Paleo?

I’m not a scientist, and there are other experts who could explain the science behind the Paleo diet much better than I ever could, but I’ll tell you how I like to think of the Paleo diet and why it makes sense to me.

Salmon cakes with mango and cilantro salsa, plus a side salad.

Paleo is about eating what we were biologically designed to eat. That means meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and oils. We avoid most of the common allergens: soy, dairy, peanuts and wheat. In fact, we don’t eat any legumes or grains. We eat what our Paleolithic ancestors ate, or at least as close as we can approximate in modern-day society.

When you think about it, it makes sense that our bodies aren’t really designed to handle foods that were not part of our traditional diet (I don’t think it’s any coincidence that many of the foods that aren’t included in the Paleo diet are common allergens). And it makes sense that if you eat the foods your body was designed to digest, you’ll be healthier, too.

If you want more information on the Paleo diet, a good place to start is the website of Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution. For help with meal planning and recipes, I recommend Paleo Plan.

If you’re considering giving the Paleo diet a try, my advice is to try it for a month and see how you feel. My bet is you’ll love it as much as we do.